Device for applying onto pipes coatings of viscous insulating substances

ABSTRACT

A device for applying successive layers of a viscous substance and tape to a pipe includes a hollow cylinder surrounding the pipe. The pipe is displaceable axially while the cylinder is rotatably driven. The cylinder includes circumferentially spaced openings through which the viscous substance is passed to the pipe surface. A tape spool is connected to the end of the cylinder and rotates together with the cylinder to apply tape about the pipe.

July'l-s, 1972 v. A. GUSEV ET DEVICE FOR KPPLYING ONTO PIPES COAT OF VISCOUS INSULATING SUBSTANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27. 1968 July 18, 1972 v. A. sussv ETAL DEVICE FOR APPLYING ONTO PIPES COATINGS OF VISCOUS INSULATING SUBSTANCES 2 Sheets-Shut 2 Filed Dec. 27. 1968 United States Patent DEVICE FOR APPLYING ONTO PIPES COATINGS OF VISCOUS INSULATING SUBSTANCES Vladimir Alexeevich Gusev, ulitsa Malaya Podvalnaya 14, kv. 9, and Nikolai Nikolaevich Rudenko, ulitsa Kikvidze 13-a, kv. 10, both of Kiev, U.S.S.R.

Filed Dec. 27, 1968, Ser. No. 787,407 Int. Cl. B65h 81/00 US. Cl. 156-392 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to devices for applying onto pipes, mainly metal pipes, coatings of viscous insulating substances, such as bituminous cement, varnishes and so forth.

Widely known in the prior art are devices designed for the above-mentioned purpose, which have for their main working unit jets for spraying a viscous substance onto the surface of a pipe which undergoes progressivelyrotating motion under said jets. Apart from their complicated design, the known devices do not insure a uniform coating and are of low efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages of the known devices.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device for applying coatings of viscous insulating substances onto pipes, which device, being relatively simple in design, makes it possible to obtain coatings uniform- 1y distributed on the pipe surfaces, is highly efficient and insures adequate working conditions.

In general accordance with the invention, there is pro posed a device for applying a coating of viscous insulating substances onto a pipe, such device including a hollow cylinder rotatable about a horizontal axis, enclosed in a casing and having openings intended for the passage of an insulating substance to the pipe surface, said openings being circumferentially arranged in an area facing a place of entry of the insulating substance which is rubbed by the cylinder onto the pipe surface.

For providing multilayer coatings, there is placed on the side of the outlet of the pipe being coated, with a possibility of rotating about said pipe, at least one spool with insulating tape wound onto the surface of the pipe coated with insulating substance.

For a better understanding of the present invention, a detailed description of a preferred embodiment follows with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 11 shows diagrammatically a plan view of an installation for applying bituminous cement onto preheat-insulated metal pipes, and incorporating a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a general view of hollow cylinder included in said device; and

FIG. 4 shows a carriage for displacing a pipe in the course of applying the coating.

The installation for applying bituminous cement coating onto pipes in accordance with the invention com- Drises a device 1 (FIG. 1) adapted to apply the cement,

3,677,862 Patented July 18, 1972 carriages 3 displaceable along guideways 2 and having arrangements 4 for keeping a pipe 5 in working position, and an arrangement for winding insulating tape on the pipe surface onto which insulating substance has been freshly applied (not shown in FIG. 1).

The device 1 for applying bituminous cement coating onto pipes comprises a hollow cylinder 7 (FIG. 3) enclosed in a casing 6 (FIG. 2) and provided with openings 8, said cylinder being rotatable about its longitudinal axis by means of a drive 9, a loading hopper 10 with electric heaters 11, and a spring-biased spool 13 with a tape of insulating material, for instance, polyvinyl chloride film, secured on the outlet end of the hollow cylinder 7 with the aid of brackets 12. The arrangement for keeping the pipe 5 in working position, mounted on the carriage 3 with a reversing-drive mechanism 14 (FIG. 4), is essentially a strut 16 telescoped with the aid of a worm gear 15 and having a cantilever support 17 which carries a clamp 18 for the pipe 5.

The above-described installation operates in the following manner:

The carriages 3 and 3' are placed in the initial working position, carriage 3, being arranged immediately before the device 1 (FIG. 1) so that its cantilever support 17 is passed inside the hollow cylinder 7. The other carriage 3' is turned by 180 with respect to the first carriage on the other side of the device at a distance approximately equal to the pipe length.

The pipe 5 to be coated is positioned by a crane on the arrangements 4 for keeping the pipe in working position. For this purpose, the cantilever supports 17 are inserted inside the pipe via its ends, and the pipe is clamped in position by the clamps 18 thereby precluding the turning of the pipe during the rotation of the cylinder 7.

Thereupon, the pipe 5 is displaced in the direction indicated by arrow A until the front end of the pipe leaves the inner space of the cylinder 7 to expose a stretch of pipe sufiicient for securing thereto the end of the insulatlng tape.

During this procedure, the hopper 10 (FIG. 2) is charged with melted bituminous cement at a temperature of ISO- C. maintained, in the course of the device operation, by electric heaters 11.

Bituminous cement is then delivered to the pipe surface by the opening of a valve 19 which is provided in the hopper 10. Via branch pipe 20 and the openings 8 in the cylinder 7 cement passes to the surface of the progressively displacing pipe 5. In the course of rotation of the cylinder 7, bituminous cement is rubbed up by its internal surface to form a uniform layer of insulation coating.

While the pipe 5 is being coated with bituminous cement, insulating tape is unwound from the spool 13.

In the course of the progressive displacement of the pipe 5, this tape is spirally wound overlap the pipe surface coated with bituminous cement, forming a continuous sheath fitting tightly on the surface of the thusly provided coating.

This process continues until the pipe is fully coated with bituminous cement onto which insulating tape is wound.

The sheath formed may be coated with another layer of bituminous cement, then by another layer of insulating tape and so on, thus forming a multilayer insulation coating.

The processed pipe is gripped by a lifting mechanism (not shown in the drawing) and relaeased from the clamps 18.

Then, the carriages 3 and 3' are moved in opposite directions, and the pipe is removed from the installation.

The carriages 3 and 3' return to the initial position, and the cycle repeats itself.

We claim:

1. A device for applying coatings of viscous insulating substances onto an axially progressively displaceable pipe, comprising a casing; a hollow cylinder rotatable about a horizontal axis and surrounding said pipe, said cylinder being enclosed in said casing and having a circumferential array of openings adapted for passing the insulating substance to the pipe surface, drive means for rotating said cylinder, means for feeding the insulating substance to said openings in said cylinder, said cylinder while rotating acting to spread said insulating substance over the pipe surface, support means for passing said pipe coaxially through said cylinder, and a tape spool coupled to said cylinder and rotatable therewith to apply tape to the thusly coated pipe outside of said cylinder.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pipe and cylinder are annularly spaced from one another.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means includes a cantilevered member for engaging said pipe.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 including drive means for shifting said cantilevered member for adjusting the concentric relation of said pipe in said cylinder.

References Cited BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner G. E. MONTONE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 156-432 

